Can top piercing tool for opening and venting in one operation



INVENTOR ATTORNEY 5.4MUEL SCHNE EE Sept. 25, 1962 s. SCHNEIER CAN TOP PIER AND VENTI CING TOOL FOR OPENING NG IN ONE OPERATION Filed Feb. 13} 1961 3,055,106 CAN TOP PERCING TOOL FOR OPENING AND VENTING IN ONE OPERATION Samuel Schneier, Arlington, Va. (927 Spring Lane, Falls Church, Va.) Filed Feb. 13, 1961, Ser. No. 88,814 1 Claim. (Cl. 30-61) This invention relates to a can top piercing tool and pertains more specifically to a can opener adapted to form a plurality of openings in the end wall of a can in a single operation.

One object of the invention is to provide an opener for liquid containers made of sheet metal, said opener is adjusted to form in one stroke at least two openings in the container wall, one of the openings serving as a discharge opening for the liquid, the second opening serving as an air inlet. The openings may be either triangular or oval in shape.

Another object is to provide a can opener of the shear type which fulcrums about the periphery of an end wall of the can to form at least two openings, either one at a time, or simultaneously in the end wall of the can in a single downstroke.

Another object is to provide a shear-type can opener which forms a small air inlet opening adjacent to the margin of an end wall of a can and a large liquid discharge opening near the opposite margin in a single operation. Still a further object is to provide a shear-type can opener of the adjustable type which forms a small air inlet opening near the margin of an end wall of a can and is capable of being positioned and fixed to form a large liquid discharge opening at the opposite margin for cans of varying diameters in a single operation.

Still another object is to provide a shear-type can opener capable of forming a plurality of openings in the end Wall of a can in a single stroke, the length of the stroke and hence the size of the openings being limited by abutment of the handle portion of the can opener against the rim of the can.

Still another object is to provide an opener which cuts a liquid discharge opening of the triangular shape, a point of which is adjacent to the rim of the container so as to form a natural spout for easy control of liquid flow.

The principle of the can opener which fulcrums about the periphery of an end wall of a can and forms a plurality of openings is not new. However, other inventions require that the shearing stroke commence with the handle in the vertical position. This is an awkward maneuver and requires a maximum of effort to accomplish. The can must be held firmly during the shearing operation as the operator must restrain the can from moving while he cuts the first opening. The operator must overcome the turning force created by the shearing action in cutting the first large opening.

Still a further object of the present invention is to place the handle in a horizontal position when the downward stroke commences. This allows the operator to utilize the weight of his body and at the same time to keep the can firmly fixed in place as the openings are cut. This makes for a minimum of effort.

Still a further object is to provide a can opener which may readily and economically be formed of metal plate.

The invention together with the objects and advantages thereof will be more fully understood from the following description and accompanying drawings illustrating different arrangements and details for practicing the invention, and in which FIG. 1 is a top plan view, partly broken away, of the adjustable type opener shown in position on a container and ready for the downstroke.

Patented Sept. 25, 1962 FIG. 2 is a view in elevation, partly broken away, of the adjustable type opener shown in position on a container and ready for the downstroke.

MG. 3 is a view in elevation, partly broken away, and in section showing the air vent shearing blade and the hooked lug of the adjustable type opener on the end of a can ready to be pressed into cutting engagement.

FIG. 4 is a sectional detail in elevation of the sliding spring type adjustable can-piercing and shearing blade for cutting the liquid discharge opening.

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary sectional detail in plan of the sliding spring type adjustable can-piercing and shearing blade for cutting the liquid discharge opening.

PEG. 6 is a fragmentary detail view in plan of an alternate type of adjustable can-piercing and shearing blade which employs a knurled thumbscrew for positioning the blade on the handle.

FIG. 7 is a sectional detail in elevation of an alternate type of adjustable can-piercing and shearing blade which employs a knurled thumbscrew for fixing the blade in position on the handle.

FIG. 8 is a fragmentary detail view in plan showing still another alternate type of adjustable can-piercing and shearing blade which employs a wedging device for fixing the blade in position on the handle.

FIG. 9 is a sectional detail in elevation of the alternate type of adjustable can-piercing and shearing blade which employs the wedging device for fixing the blade in position on the handle.

FIG. 10 is a sectional detail in elevation of the end of the handle.

in FIGURES l, 2 and 3, an elongated rigid handle 1 is formed preferably as by diestamping or punching from a single metal plate which is bent back upon itself and tapered down in width at one end to form a hooked lug 2, said lug is provided with a slight hook 3 at its tip which is adapted to engage the peripheral seam or head 4 around the margin of the can. A generally triangular can piercing element 50 for cutting the air vent opening is struck from the handle portion 1 at a point close to the hooked lug 2. Element 50 is provided with a pair of sharpened converging cutting edges 5, 5 terminating in a pointed tip 6 which touches the end wall of the container when lug 2 engages the peripheral seam 4 and handle 1 is in the position shown.

In FIGURES 4- and 5 the adjustable liquid discharge opening cutting device is preferably formed as by diestamping or punching from a single metal plate 7 which is bent sharply up and around on two sides to form a sliding fit with handle 1. Another portion of plate 7 is bent down to form a generally triangular can-piercing and shearing blade 8. The two converging edges 9, 9 of this blade are sharpened to serve as cutting edges and meet at a pointed tip 10. Blade 8 is used to cut the liquid discharge opening in the container. A leaf type spring 11 is provided between the sliding plate 7 and the rigid handle 1 so as to provide tension and hold the sliding plate 7 tight against handle 1 without slipping. Spring 11 is held in place by two lugs 12 bent from plate 7. The sliding plate 7 can be moved up and back along handle 1 to any desired position so that the tip 10 of blade 8 can be located at the margin of any sized container. When the handle 1 is pushed down it will hold the cutting blade tip 10 in position and force it through the end wall of the can thereby completing the cutting operation.

FIGURES 6 and 7 show an alternate adjustable liquid discharge opening cutting device. As in FIGURES 4 and 5, a metal plate 13 is bent sharply up and around on two ends to form a sliding fit with handle 1. A liquid discharge opening cutter blade 8 is provide-d. An opening is punched in plate 13 and a threaded nut is tack welded to plate 13 over this opening. A knurled thumbscrew 15 is provided for nut '14. Said thumbscrew is used to tighten sliding plate 13 against handle 1 in any desired position. The end of screw 15 should be peened to prevent it from accidentally falling out.

FIGURES 8 and 9 show still another alternate adjustable liquid discharge opening cutting device. As in FIGURES 4 and 5, a metal plate 16 is bent sharply up and around on two ends to form a sliding fit with handle 1 and likewise a liquid discharge opening cutter blade 8 is provided. A wedge plate 17 is connected to sliding plate 13 by rivet 18 which is loose enough to permit plate 17 to swing freely. When plate 17 is at 90 degrees to the axis of handle 1 the sliding plate 16 is free to be moved up and back on handle 1. When the desired position of the cutter blade 8 is reached, wedge plate 17 is turned to the right or the left until it wedges itself between sliding plate 16 and handle 1 to form a binding between the two.

FIGURE 10 illustrates the shape in which the handle 1 can be stamped or punched for ease of gripping.

The can openers of the present invention that are provided with fixed cutting elements may conveniently be made in a variety of sizes each being particularly adapted for use with a can or container of specific size. The adjustable type opener, of course, is adaptable to any size container.

It will be understood that the handle portion of the opener may be reinforced or provided with a wood or plastic handle for ease of operation without departing from the invention.

Although I have described herein specific embodiments of my invention I do not intend to limit myself solely thereto but to include all of the obvious variations and modifications within the spirit and scope of the appended claim.

I claim:

In combination, a can top piercing tool formed from a single metal plate comprising an elongated handle portion having one end bent back upon itself and tapering down in Width to form a hooked lug adapted to engage the peripheral seam of the can, a generally triangular can-piercing element struck from said handle portion adjacent the bend thereof, said element having a pair of converging cutting edges ending in a pointed tip, said tip is located so that when it touches the end wall of the can and the hooking lug is engaging the peripheral seam of the can, the handle portion is in a generally horizontal position, in said position the pointed tip touches the end wall of the can adjacent to the margin thereof for the purpose of cutting a small air vent opening therein, an adjustable can piercing device formed from a second metal plate which is bent sharply up and around on two sides to form a sliding fit with the handle portion of said first metal plate, a second generally triangular can-piercing element formed from said second metal plate and extending in the same general direction as the first said element, said second element having a pair of converging cutting edges ending in a pointed tip so located that it penetrates the end wall of the can subsequent to the first element to form a larger liquid discharge opening near the margin opposite to the smaller air opening, said second plate with said second piercing element is held in position on the handle portion of the first metal plate by means of a wedge fitting which binds said second plate to the handle in any desired position.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,195,253 Meier et al Mar. 26, 1940 2,559,560 Larsen July 3, 1951 2,663,077 Fortune Dec. 22, 1953 2,814,102 Hon et al Nov. 26, 1957 2,850,800 Carlson Sept. 9, 1958 

